Hi EFGM, I'm new to Cold Smoking and have a new 1400 on the way. I plan on doing 2 bone-in store bought hams for Christmas Eve but would like to try a couple of blocks of cheese. How can I learn about this and what would you recommend for starters. We like Cheddar and PepperJack.
Thanks!!

SINCE, I don't know how to copy a link, I searched back and found this post I did sometime back on Cheese. You might try the same on the Ham your looking at doing, I know somebody has a great recipe for that as well. This smoke I let go for 5 hours, mainly because it's in a larger smoker. I think you will be good with 3 hours in a 1400. The tube smoker I reference you can get from amazenproducts.com or you can order them on Amazon or I think even Cabelas and Bass Pro might have them in stock. I also now use a portable battery powered fan set on top to draw the air in and put it out. The best source on that is Smokintex as they have a Jerky Fan, but I just haven't pulled the trigger on it yet so I do it with what I have on hand. Even with the temps down you probably want to use some ice on the bottom shelf, but in the 1400 you might want to cover it with foil on the top to help keep the moisture down. Another change I did this time around was I found at Same some sandwich slices of Mild Cheddar and PepperJack instead of slicing my own. Worked fine and I can cut them in easily into smaller squares for the sliders. Hope this helps you out. I buy Cheese blocks from Sam's and or Costco. Costco is $1 cheaper on the Mild Cheddar but they don't have the pepper jack. Sam's has both in 2.5# packages. Good luck, post pictures pictures and ask all the questions you have, there is only one bad question and thats the one you don't ask. There are many many people on this forum with far more experience than myself and I know they will kick in. Right Guys!

I normally don't try to cold smoke cheese in the summer, especially here in Texas. However I am out and need some on hand so I took advantage of this lower temp day.

Steps I take are as follows:

1. Slice my Cheese into slices I desire, which are normally about 4 oz slices. On this smoke I cut 2 of the 2.5# blocks into thin slices. These is for orduerves with round crackers, thin slice of cheese and slice of melt in your mouth smoked sausage.
2. Then I prepare my smoker. This time I removed the wood trays however I will leave them from now on. I fill my Amazen Tube smoker (12 inch) with pellets and place it on bottom of smoker. I put it to the left of the left hand element and let the element guard hold it in place. I remove the drip pan to improve airflow.
3. Then I light the tube smoker with my propane torch. I no longer use the small hand held one that you refill, but use one on the long slider tanks. Takes much less time to get it sufficiently lit.
4. Now I fill a full size aluminum pan with ice and place on bottom rack.
5. Then I load the racks. I laid the thin slices flat and the 4 oz slices on their side standing up.
6. I put one probe to my tappecue throw exhaust hole and rested on top rack between the cheese. Always prepared to add more ice should the temp come close to 90.
7. Shut the door and go about my business. The tappecue will alert my phone if temp reaches 83 which should give me time to react. My Cheese melts at 90* so I always keep it below that. I'll bet your cheese does also.

This smoke today I went for 3 hours, in a smaller smoker I usually only go 2 hours and it works out well. As you this thing has a lot of real estate and I wanted a little heavier smoke profile than I saw at 2 hours.

Then I vacuum pack everything. 2 4oz slices to a vacuum pack. The thin slices I did 4 slices each just because.